Wichita eagle., 1887-12-21
CHECK MAKER.
CHECK MAKER.
Peter Walsh Works Scheme on the Mer-
chants With Fraudulent Checks-Giy-
ing Checks Condemned.

Yesterday Mr.. A. Flagg, of the Globe
Iron works, was presented with check
drawn ON himself for SIS in favor of Peter
Walsh. He at once pronounced the check
fraud, and soon the word got out and
some man came IN for the same amount.
They kept coming in until twenty-one
were presented him, all of them being
fraudulent.
Walsh circulated the checks Saturday
evening, among the merchants mostly, and
in fact, wherever he could. His scheme
was to buy very small bill of goods,
usually not over dollar, and then would
present the check and get the balance in
cash. 1t seems his salary was SIS per
week, and was always paid on Saturday
evening with a check for the amount and
he had no regular place of going and
thus he had large acquaintance among
| business men as an emplOye of Flagg and
his former checks for SIS had proved o. X.
| This being the case, no one doubted the
genuineness of the check, especially when
Mr. Flagg's name was written in hand
which was good imitation. til thought
! Walsh played the SIS game for all there
was in it and quite a number of others
are out calling for the same amount.
The checks were mostly deposited late
| Monday afternoon in the various banks of
the city. and it was not until yesterday
morning that the bank at which Mr.. Flagg
does his business became suspicious of the
scheme and informed him.
Among those getting the checks are
Cole & Jones, Goldstandt, E. c. Lewis and
Biting Bros.
comment yesterday, especially a very pop
ular topic among the losers. 1t was the
general opinion that the way Of doing
business by many employers should be
changed in the way Of paying employees
on Saturday night with checks. The sys-
TEN caused all merchants TO be presented
with checks on Saturday night. The EN-
ployees get them at o'clock after banking
hours, and it's impossible to get them
cashed at the bank Many are compelled to
do some buying on Saturday night, and
can do no better than present the checks.
Many being strangers to the merchants,
they have 70 means of Judging Of the gen
uinenesS of the paper and knowing the
chances favorable for the men being hon
est, they as n rule take the checks in trade,
nearly always paying some cash. The re
suit is that most of them lock the safe
with ali checks and no money, the cur
rency oftentimes running out in the early
hours of the evening. The merchants
claim that the present system places them
in a bad position and one in which,
according TO experience, causes them
occasionally to get beat by rascal. The
occurrence of Saturday is similar to every
many do not on request of some one inter
ested. But few days ago one firm got Il
check for Sl3. 25 which proved fraudulent.
And, by the way, not later than Monday
last young fellow got struck on some fine
collars in an establishment and as pay for
some neckwear gave over check for one
dollar and thirty-five cents on his former
employer which proved fraudulent He
had been in the habit of paying in checks
and thus got in his trick, but of course he
did not leave town for that amount, as
his kind old uncle heard of the matter and
FASTENED to pay it.
1t was suggested by Mr.. Jones, of the
firm of Cole & Jones yesterday that those
accustomed to pay off on Saturday night
with checks could find as little trouble in
making out the pay roll on Saturday
morning and giving it to the banks, and
their firm would furnish envelopes for pay
of each man, costing employees nothing if
they would adopt the suggestion. This
he thought would give less reason for
checks, and merchants could easily be on
guard.
Walsh having over two days the start, it
is thought is ont of hearing by this time,
but he will be given chase all the same.